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Category Archives: World

I’m sure I’ve mentioned this study before, but I finally found a source I can cite. Back in 1998, the International Center for Technology Assessment released a study called “The Real Price of Gasoline.” It showed that if all the costs of gasoline (including subsidies and externalized costs) were included in the price at the pump, gas would actually cost between $5 and $15 a gallon. (At the time, gas was $1 a gallon and we weren’t spending $100 billion per year in Iraq and Afghanistan.) The full report is online (as a PDF), and I strongly recommend it to anyone.

President George W. Bush admitted on Thursday that his bellicose “bring ‘em on” taunt to Iraqi insurgents was a big mistake, as he and Prime Minister Tony Blair carefully avoided setting a timetable for removing troops from Iraq.

A mistake? Really? Ya think? Could there perhaps be other mistakes lurking in our president’s past?

Iranian expatriates living in Canada yesterday confirmed reports that the Iranian parliament, called the Islamic Majlis, passed a law this week setting a dress code for all Iranians, requiring them to wear almost identical “standard Islamic garments.”The law, which must still be approved by Iran’s “Supreme Guide” Ali Khamenehi before being put into effect, also establishes special insignia to be worn by non-Muslims.

If true, this would be the scariest development yet from Iran. This is the kind of development that starts to justify UN sanctions and (maybe just the barest beginnings of) thoughts of regime change. I just hope it doesn’t get drowned out by the incessant saber-rattling we’ve seen to date.

As an aside, I’m proud that I got through this whole post without using the terms “Nazi” or “Hitler”. Until the end, of course. Bah, nevermind.

I need a word. Perhaps I’ll call on the verbivores to help, but you, gentle reader, might know of one already. Here’s the definition: “To become what one ostensibly opposes, often in the course of that opposition.” It may sound like hypocrisy, a la “if there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s intolerance,” but this new thing needs an element of menace, of tactics employed to win the battle. Think of Serenity‘s Operative, who hunted down sinners by commiting every sin he ascribed to them.Continue reading →